PA32 pilot, cleared for a visual approach, inadvertently lands at a military field 15 mi from the in...

Attributes
ACN	633880
Time
Date	200410
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : nbc.airport
State Reference	SC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 3036
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : nbc.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 72 flight time total : 1986 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	633880
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flying IMC on an IFR flight plan direct to hxd, straight-in runway 21. I was about 12 mins out. After a few mins, I located the airport across a body of water and runway 21 almost straight ahead. Wondering why I had not received a handoff to tower I tuned to hxd tower and called 'final to runway 21,' several times. Hearing no response, I tried hxd ground frequency and announced 'short final runway 21.' still no response. I landed and realized during rollout that this was not hxd. The runway was runway 23 at nbc. The 'follow me' truck directed me to the run-up area and I met with the gentlemen there to explain. After expectations and paperwork, I was able to depart and fly VFR to hxd, 15 mi away. I believe this event is a result of my not maintaining a sterile cockpit environment during this flight, especially during approach. I was in deep conversation with a passenger. Because of this, I missed any further calls from approach control, mistook the 'picture' of an airport environment (although very similar to hxd) and I didn't give enough attention to the unexplained silence during attempts to reach hxd.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA32 PLT, CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH, INADVERTENTLY LANDS AT A MIL FIELD 15 MI FROM THE INTENDED DEST.

Narrative: FLYING IMC ON AN IFR FLT PLAN DIRECT TO HXD, STRAIGHT-IN RWY 21. I WAS ABOUT 12 MINS OUT. AFTER A FEW MINS, I LOCATED THE ARPT ACROSS A BODY OF WATER AND RWY 21 ALMOST STRAIGHT AHEAD. WONDERING WHY I HAD NOT RECEIVED A HDOF TO TWR I TUNED TO HXD TWR AND CALLED 'FINAL TO RWY 21,' SEVERAL TIMES. HEARING NO RESPONSE, I TRIED HXD GND FREQ AND ANNOUNCED 'SHORT FINAL RWY 21.' STILL NO RESPONSE. I LANDED AND REALIZED DURING ROLLOUT THAT THIS WAS NOT HXD. THE RWY WAS RWY 23 AT NBC. THE 'FOLLOW ME' TRUCK DIRECTED ME TO THE RUN-UP AREA AND I MET WITH THE GENTLEMEN THERE TO EXPLAIN. AFTER EXPECTATIONS AND PAPERWORK, I WAS ABLE TO DEPART AND FLY VFR TO HXD, 15 MI AWAY. I BELIEVE THIS EVENT IS A RESULT OF MY NOT MAINTAINING A STERILE COCKPIT ENVIRONMENT DURING THIS FLT, ESPECIALLY DURING APCH. I WAS IN DEEP CONVERSATION WITH A PAX. BECAUSE OF THIS, I MISSED ANY FURTHER CALLS FROM APCH CTL, MISTOOK THE 'PICTURE' OF AN ARPT ENVIRONMENT (ALTHOUGH VERY SIMILAR TO HXD) AND I DIDN'T GIVE ENOUGH ATTN TO THE UNEXPLAINED SILENCE DURING ATTEMPTS TO REACH HXD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

PA32 pilot, cleared for a visual approach, inadvertently lands at a military field 15 mi from the intended destination.